Improvement in cut-off slides for cube-sugar machines



L. HdPKEN, CUT-OFF SLIDE FOR CUBE SUGAR MACHINES.

No. 194,092. Patented Aug.14,1877.

V Witnesses I y Inireritor NEPEIERS, PHQTO-LITHDGRAPMER, WASHWGTON. D. C.

UNITED STATES, PATENT OFFICE.

LU'DER HOPKEN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CUT-OFF SLIDES FOR CUBE-SUGAR MACHINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,092, dated August 14, 1877; application filed May 23, 1877.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, LiipER HoPKEN, of the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented a Out-Otf Slide for Cube-Sugar Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved cut-oft slide to be used in the hopper of machines for filling molds with sugar, salt, or other similar substances; and it consists of an inclined or wedge-shaped slide, gradually thickening from front to back, and

having similar shaped sides, as will he more fully described by reference to the accompanyin g drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view, and Fig. 2 a longitudinal section of the cut-off slide.

A is a plate or slide, similar to a wedge, one side bei ng inclined while the other is straight, although, if desired, both sides could be inclined. Rectangular side strips B B ex tend from the rear end, Where they are flush with the plate, to the front edge, these sides being also down to a thin edge at the front end of the slide, so that the inclosed space is wider and deeper at the front than at the rear. The object" of this is to cause the plate to cut off, in a layer from the bottom of the sugar or other substance in the hopper or receiver, the amount necessary to fill the molds. I have discovered that if a slide with a blunt edge is used it will crowd a portion of the sugar or other substance along in front of it, and condense it against the wall of the hopper, so as to prevent the slide from closing as it ought to. My present device, however,

gradually forces the substance down into the molds, and insures the filling of all of them, which cannot be well done with a blunt-edged slide, which would push the substance over the first molds without filling them. The openings 0 serve to allow any surplus sugar or other substance to escape, and not force the plate out of place. I have experimented with my slide upon the cube-sugar machine of Westerman & Mursch, patented May 29, 1877, No. 191,391. but it will be manifest that this device may be employed upon any machine in which a cut-ofi' slide may be needed, and the inclines will serve as a compressing device to compact the substance into the molds without other stamps.

Guides D upon the sides of the plate run in grooves, so as to insure a reciprocatingmotion.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The cut-oft slide consisting of the inclined or wedgeshaped plate A, with the side plates B, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The cut-ofi slide A, having the inclined surface, as shown, and provided with the escape-openings O for surplus sugar, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

I LUDER HOPKEN. [L. s.]

Witnesses: GEo. H. STRONG,

FRANK A. BROOKS. 

